Exploration Geology & Compliance · WA
Senior geological
firepower, on a
monthly retainer.
Minstone gives WA explorers the technical backbone of a full-time hire, scaled to your project and your budget. Targeting, tenement compliance and field delivery from a Competent Person, without the on-costs of a permanent team.
The operator behind the work
Former ASX Managing Director
Listed-company leadership, IPO and boardroom experience
100+ ASX announcements
and technical reports authored
BSc (Geology) · GradCertMEM
Degree-qualified, plus postgraduate minerals and energy management
The geologist behind Minstone
Charles Armstrong
Principal Geologist · MAusIMM · MSEG
Geologist. JORC Competent Person. Former ASX managing director. Charles Armstrong has spent over a decade working gold, lithium, iron ore, nickel, mineral sands and uranium both locally and overseas, with 100-plus ASX releases and technical reports and two IPOs behind him.
He brings senior operational experience, sharpened with AI, to your project. When he isn’t on a tenement, he’s racing Hyrox, which tells you most of what you need to know about how he works.
The Minstone model
A permanent geology team costs $300k+ a year in salary, super and on-costs. Most explorers don’t need one full-time. They need ours.
One senior geologist owns your technical and compliance load on a fixed monthly retainer. Your exploration team, scaled up when you drill and scaled back when you don’t.
What clients say
We’ve worked with Charles for years and his professionalism, attention to detail and use of technology where appropriate to improve efficiency of tasks is second to none. You know if you’ve got Charles on the job, all the T’s will be crossed and the I’s dotted.
What we own for you
Four disciplines,
one accountable lead.
Geological Expertise
Decades of drill-tested geological judgement applied to your ground. Sharp targeting, rigorous mapping and logging, and interpretation you can take to the board, so every metre you drill is spent with intent.
Targeting Intelligence
AI-assisted data integration that sharpens drill targets, not replaces judgement. Geophysics, geochem and historic data reviewed, ranked and turned into a defensible drill plan.
Exploration Strategy
Program design, drilling contractor liaison, QAQC and EIS co-funding support. The plan, the budget and the people lined up so a program runs to schedule and to scope.
Reports & Compliance
Statutory reporting, Programme of Work lodgement, expenditure tracking and JORC Table 1 drafting. Board-ready technical packs and ASX-ready announcements, on time.
Monthly retainer tiers
Priced to the work,
not the headcount.
Retainers are scoped to project count, commodity and reporting load. No lock-in contracts, just 30 days’ notice. All fees ex-GST and indicative.
Minstone caps retainer clients to protect delivery quality. Positions for FY27 are limited.
Tenement Keeper
Tenements in holding, pre-drilling, or between programs. Covers up to 3 projects.
- Tenement compliance & expenditure monitoring
- Form 5 preparation & annual reporting submissions
- Programme of Work (POW) submissions
- DMIRS correspondence
- Exploration data custody
- Compliance calendar & WHS document upkeep
Exploration Partner
Explorers actively planning or running programs. Covers up to 3 projects.
- Everything in Tenement Keeper
- Exploration program design
- Drill program management support
- Contractor procurement support
- Data management & QAQC
- Logging & sampling protocols
- Results interpretation & technical input to announcements
Technical Lead
ASX-listed explorers needing senior technical oversight. Covers up to 3 projects.
- Everything in Exploration Partner
- CP sign-off for ASX announcements included
- 3D modelling, all software licensing included
- Exploration strategy
- Board & investor-facing technical material
- Management of external consultants
- Technical due-diligence support
Project coverage shown is indicative. Larger portfolios are scoped per project, so the fee tracks your workload.
CP sign-off for ASX announcements
Included in the Technical Lead tier · available to retainer clients · conflict disclosed under JORC cl. 9
- ASX exploration release assistance
- from $3,000 / announcement
Independent technical reports
Arm's-length clients only · IPO, listing & transaction support
- Independent Geologist's Report (IGR / ITAR)
- from $40,000
- Prepared under the VALMIN Code & ASIC RG 111 / 112
Project Generation
Generative geology · new exploration projects sourced and vended into your pipeline
- Target generation & project vend-in
- Commission or equity only
Independence firewall. A company engages Minstone either for a retainer plus announcement sign-offs, or for an independent technical report. Never both. An active retainer precludes acting as that company’s independent expert.
Field deployment
Boots on the ground,
mobilised on demand.
Day rates for active programs. Mobilised when you drill, stood down when you don’t. No idle salaries between campaigns.
All rates ex-GST and indicative. CP sign-off and independent reports available only for commodities and deposit styles within the signatory’s area of competence under the JORC Code. Professional indemnity insurance maintained.
How it works
From first call to covered, in a week.
Scope call
A 30-minute consult on your tenements, commodity and reporting load. We map where senior oversight earns its keep.
Right-sized retainer
A fixed monthly scope you can read on one page. No lock-in contract, just 30 days' notice. Scaled to the program, no surprise invoices.
We own the load
Compliance, targeting and field delivery handled. You get board-ready packs and a single point of accountability.
Why Minstone
Decades in the dirt.
Sharpened with AI.
Minstone is led by a geologist and JORC Competent Person, a Member of the AusIMM (MAusIMM) and the Society of Economic Geologists (MSEG), with the credentials to sign off ASX announcements and the field experience to back every call. We pair that judgement with AI-assisted data integration, so your targeting decisions are faster and better evidenced, never outsourced to a black box.
- JORC Competent Person, qualified to sign off ASX announcements
- Independent reports under the VALMIN Code & ASIC RG 111 / 112
- Professional indemnity insurance maintained
- Based in and built for Western Australian explorers
Exploration expertise. AI-assisted. Better decisions.
Get senior eyes on your ground.
Tell us where your project is at. We’ll come back within one business day with how a retainer would work for you.